Talktime

What to expect: Professionals from the media, marketing and advertising worlds would share their views on the changes in India’s media marketing scenario. The speakers Abhijit Dasgupta (former station director, Doordarshan Kendra, Calcutta), Abhijit Saxena (MD and CEO, Mobilox), D.D. Purkayastha (CEO & MD, ABP Group), Rohit Ohri (chairman, Dentsu India), Amit Gope (head of marketing, CenturyPly), Mohit Hira (senior VP and digital head of JWT India), Sumit Roy (founder director, Univbrands) and Suresh Balakrishna (CEO, Lintas Media Group) will be divided into two panels. While one panel would speak on the new trends and preferences in the media market, the other would explain how brands are targeting their consumers better in the changing space. Sam Balsara, chairman and MD of Madison World, is the keynote speaker at this day-long conclave. Dnyanada Chaudhari, COO of Pinnacle, Madison Media, would moderate the panel discussions.

Organiser speak: “Today’s consumers look at media very differently than they used to before. So we thought of asking brand owners and people in the media business how they are reaching their audience when they are most receptive,” said Sidhartha Roy, executive director of Response India and chairman, brand and marketing committee, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

What: Flight, Varun Bahl’s Fall 2013 Haute Couture collection

Where: 85 Lansdowne Pop-Up Store, 21 Park Street

When: September 6, 10.30am to 7.30pm

What to expect: Inspired by the “freedom of creativity”, this collection is all about the Varun Bahl signature embroidery in modern silhouettes, redefining the concept of embellishments and making it more accessible and desirable for the contemporary Indian woman. The bonus? Varun Bahl himself. Look forward to some designer tips and suggestions on how to dress to impress! The brides-to-be have another treat in store — tete-a-tete with Bahl on all things bridal couture. “My design philosophy keeps changing. Primarily, I do what I want to do. I do not follow any trends. Having said that, I do follow my strengths — they are colour, surfacing, embroidery, simple and elegant cuts. However, the biggest trend right now is to follow no trend blindly. Individualism is the key,” says the designer.

ACCESSORISE: Design doyen Ritu Kumar has recently designed a line of scarves and bags for Oriflame (picture above). “Basically they wanted accessories from me. That’s an extension that I would like to do. I want to do more and more accessories even for our own collection. We will get into more handbags and perhaps even shoes,” she told t2 over the phone. Kumar describes the collection, available under Label, Ritu Kumar, as a “young line” that is signature Label.

“I wanted to make it of a standard which would meet international standards in accessories. It was a challenge and I think we did quite alright with it,” she smiled. The range has a lot of chintz as the designer wanted to do “an extension of Indian motifs”.

Wondering what’s behind that glow at 68? “You are not going to believe it — it is perhaps just an hour of exercise every day!” said Kumar. And yes, she does weights and the exercycle.